1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear synchronous motor in which a mover linearly moves relative to a stator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-286122 (JP2001-286122A) discloses a linear synchronous motor comprising a stator and a mover that linearly moves relative to the stator. The mover includes a direct drive shaft reciprocating in an axial direction and an array of permanent magnets or a permanent magnet array including a plurality of permanent magnets fixed to the direct drive shaft. The stator includes a plurality of annular windings and a stator core unit having formed a slot for receiving each of the plurality of annular windings. The annular windings are each formed of an annularly wound winding conductor and are disposed so as to enclose the mover. The stator core unit is constituted from a plurality of stator core divided bodies assembled with each other in the axial direction. The stator core divided bodies are formed by cutting work, and each include a magnetic pole portion facing the permanent magnet array of the mover and a yoke constituting portion which is combined with another stator core divided body so as to constitute a yoke magnetically connecting the magnetic pole portions. One annular winding is disposed between two adjacent magnetic pole portions.
Conventional linear synchronous motors have issues of high manufacturing cost of the stator and high magnetic loss. In order to cope with the issues, it has been proposed to form a plurality of stator core divided bodies by laminating magnetic steel plates. However, the configuration of the yoke which magnetically connects the stator core divided bodies will inevitably be complicated.